Nutcracker



July 16, 1957 '1'. JACOBS 2,799,310

NUTCRACKER Filed Dec. 12, 1955 and the like.

United States l atent NUTCRACKER Theodore L. Jacobs, Glenwood, Ill.

Application December 12, 1955, Serial No. 552,545

1 Claim. (Cl. 146-14) This invention relates to improvements innut-crackers, The present improvements have to do with nut-crackers ofthat type in which two jaws are pivotally connected or hinged together,said jaws being provided with concave pockets which face each other andact in co-operation to hold the nut being treated, and to exert thedesired compressive force against opposite portionsof the nut in orderto crack the nut shell. Various devices of this general type have beenknown for many years and widely used. However, it has been found thatsuch devices as heretofore constructed and operated do not effectivelyperform their functions when various sizes of nuts are treated in them.If the nut inserted into a conventional nut-cracker of the jaw type issmaller than the intended size for such nut-cracker it may be found thatwhen the jaws are fully rocked together the needed compressive force hasnot been exerted on the nut shell tocrack the same; conversely, if theinserted nut is too large for the nut-cracker it will be found necessaryto arrest the compressive operation produced by forcing the jawstogether, before the jaws have been fully rocked towards each other;otherwise the nut may and probably will be excessively compressed. Thiswill result in breaking the nut meat into small particles, and otherwiseproducing an undesirable operation. It is further to be noted that suchpreviously known or conventional form of jaw type nut-cracker willdevelop its compressive force against the opposite faces of the nut atdifferent points when nuts of different sizes are treated, since thecontacts produced against the opposite faces of the nut will be locatedat points other than diametrically opposite. to each other except in thesingle case of one particular size of nut for which the device has beendesigned.

It is also to be noted that when using such a conventional form ofdevice as just referred to, when the cracking operation occurs beforethe jaws have been fully closed together there will remain a substantialsize of opening between the companion jaws at the instant of crackingthe nut, so that particles of the nut shell are frequently, and in fact,generally ejected through such opening, and fall to the floor or tounintended and undesired locations, making it necessary to clean up thepremises after cracking the nuts.

It is further noted that such previously known and conventional forms ofnut-crackers present the serious objection that the jaws may come fullytogether when the treated nut is under-size. If care is not exercised bythe user he may be seriously pinched between the jaws at such time.

It is a prime object of the present invention to produce a constructionof the nut-cracker in which the jaws are hinged together but the jawhandles are of such form and construction that when they are rockedfully together (which is the intended condition at completion of eachnut-cracking operation), such rocking movement is limited by companionstopping elements or surfaces of the two jaws while said jaws are stillseparated far enough to avoid such pinching operation. In other words,provision is 2,799,310 Patented July 16, 1957 ice made for limiting therocking movement of the jaws towards each other at a point where thehand grips of the jaws are still separated sufliciently to avoid suchpinching result.

Since the device is intended to always be operated to bring the jaws tosuch limited position of closure, I have also made provision forensuring that various sizes of nuts will be properly and effectivelycompressed to ensure proper cracking thereof, irrespective of the exactsize of the nut being treated. Such provision comprises an adjustableelement carried by one of the jaws (preferably the upper jaw) andadjustable towards and from the other jaw through a range of adjustmentsuflicient to accommodate a range of nut sizes of considerable amount.The two jaws are provided 'with concave companion recesses, and that ofthe lower jaw is preferably of semispherical form. The nut to be treatedis set into such semi-spherical lower jaw recess whilethe two jaws areseparated, and the adjustable element is adjusted to a position suchthat when the jaws are forced fully together (until limited by thestopping elements or surfaces above referred to), the proper compressiveaction has been produced on the nut to crack its shell, leaving the nutmeat substantially whole and unbroken. Since such limiting action occurswhen the two jaws have been brought substantially together it followsthat at such time the pocket of the lower jaw is substantially closedover by the upper jaw, thus preventing any egress of broken shell orother elements. Thus, such relation of parts'not only ensures propercracking of the nut being treated, but also prevents egress of shellparticles, etc., and prevents pinching of the fingers of hand of theoperator.

The adjustable element to accommodate various sizes of nuts preferablycomprises a screw-threaded stem extended through the upper jaws bowl andcarrying an enlarged abutment on its lower end to present a sub stantialnut engaging surface. The position of such abutment is thus adjusted byscrewing the stem up or down with respect to the upper jaw element.Since such screwthreaded stem shifts along its own axis during suchadjustment it follows that the abutment executes a like linear travelduring adjustment. It also follows that the face of the abutment willlie substantially normal to the axis of such adjustment. Accordingly,when the upper jaw is rocked with respect to the lower jaw, with theabutment raised to accommodate a large nut, the engagement of suchabutment with the surface of the nut, during rock of the upper jaw, willbe exerted in a different direction and manner than when the abutment isin lowered position for accommodation of a smaller size of nut. In orderto produce the best average condition of engagement of such abutmentwith nuts of various sizes I prefer to set the screw-threaded stemthrough the bowl of the upper jaw at an angle such that such stem slantstowards the pivotal or hinge connection between the two jaws. Suchmodified arrangement is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Studythereof will show that with such an arrangement the pressure exerted bysuch abutment against the upper surface of the nut located in the bowlof the lower jaw is substantially a direct pressure against the uppersurface of the nut, and substantially without any sliding of suchabutment over the surface of the nut as the upper jaw is forced towardsthe lower jaw during the cracking operation. Thus an improved crackingoperation is ensured for nuts of various sizes within the range i andthis figure shows that when in such fully closed condition the jaws andhandles orgrips remain separated sufficiently to avoid pinching thefingers of the user;

Figure 2 shows a vertical longitudinal section along the device shown inFigure 1; being a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 3, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 shows a cross-section taken on the lines 3--3 of Figures 1 and2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 shows a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the bowlportion of a modified arrangement, such modification consisting in theinsertion of the screwthreaded stem of the adjustable abutment in aslanting direction, as explained in the preamble.

Referring to the drawing, the nut-cracker includes the two jaw membersand 11. Each of these is provided with a concave recess at one end,indicated at 12 and 13 for the two members, respectively. The jawmembers are pivoted or hinged together adjacent to these recesses by thecross-wise extending pin 14 extended through the outside lugs 15 and 16of the member 11, and the intermediate lug 17 of the member 10. The jawmembers are provided with hand grip portions 18 and 19, respectively.These are preferably formed of generally rounded crosssection to provideconvenient gripping surfaces, the

details of which need not be detailed here.

The two jaw members are provided with companion surface elements 20 and21 which come together when the jaws are rocked towards each other themaximum intended movement. In Figure 2 the jaws are shown in such fullyrocked or closed condition. Preferably the surface element of the jawmember 10 comprises a slight downwardly extending lug adapted to engagewith the surface element 21 of the member 11 at the fully closedposition. Examination of Figures 1 and 2 also shows 'that the hand gripportions 18 and 19 are so formed that their proximate surfaces 22 and 23are separated from each other a substantial distance even when the jawsare fully rocked towards each other. This distance, indicated at 24 issuflicient to accommodate fingers of rather large size without crushing,so that danger of pinching is substantially avoided even when the devicemay be carelessly used.

The recesses 12 and 13 are of substantially semispherical form as wellshown in Figures 2 and 3 in particular. When the two jaws are broughtfully together to their limited positions the proximate edges of thesebowls come close to each other so as to afford a more or less tightlyclosed enclosure. The nut, shown at 25 within the device andaccommodated between the bowls, is forced against the floor of the lowerbowl during the compressing operation, and when that compressingoperation has been completed to crack the nut said proximate bowl edges26 and 27 come into or close to registry and engagement with each otherso as to provide an enclosed space within which the final crackingoperation occurs. Thus, any particles of shell or nut meat which may beejected at the time of cracking are retained within the enclosed nutspace, and prevented from being scattered outside thereof. Although Ihave shown these proximate edges as being slightly separated from eachother when the jaws are in their fully closed positions, and when thesurface elements 20 and 21 have come together, this detail ofconstruction has been shown as a means to ensure that the closing actionwill be exactly limited at the desired point of movement, since it ispossible to finish such surface elements 20 and 21 to ensure suchresult. Evidently, however, the arrangement might be one in which .theentire proximate edge portions of the two bowls would come substantiallyinto contact at the fully jaw closed position, and I contemplate suchdetailed arrangements as being within the scope of my invention.

It is now evident that in order to produce the needed compressive forceon the nut just prior to completion of the jaw closing movement theinner surface of the upper jaw member (or some element related to thatsurface) must be so located with respect to the sustaining surface ofthe lower jaws bowl that proper contact of the upper bowls surface withthe top surface portion of the nut will occur early enough in the jawclosing movement to ensure production of the needed compressive forceagainst the nut prior to arresting of the jaw closing movement. Suchassurance is provided by the means which I shall now explain as follows:

I have provided an adjustable abutment 28 carried by the upper jawmember and adapted to co-operate with the surface 13 of the lower jawmember to produce the needed compressive force against the nut. Thisadjustable abutment conveniently comprises the lower end of ascrew-threaded stem 29 threaded through the bowl of the jaw member 10,or an enlargement carried by such lower end. This stem 29 extends outthrough the bowl of the jaw member 10 and is provided with a gripportion 30 by which the stem may be conveniently turned to bring theabutment 28 into correct relation with the jaw member so that the propercompressive action will be produced against the nut carried by the lowerbowl, and to meet the needs of the size of that nut.

Examination of Figure 2 shows that the stem 29 shown 'in that figureextends through the bowl of the upper jaw member in such direction thatsuch stem extends in direction substantially normal to the plane of thehinge connection 14 and the point of engagement of the two surfaceelements 20 and 21 with each other when the jaws are fully closedtogether. Under these relations it is seen that during the last portionof the closing movement the direction of travel of the abutment 28 issubstantially normal to such plane so that a direct compressive actionis produced against the nut. This relation is based on the assumptionthat the amount of such last portion of abutment travel, needed toeffect the cracking compression force against the nut, is relativelysmall. If the nut is of soft shell material so that a larger amount ofcompressing movement must be produced (from the point of firstengagement of the abutment 28 with the top surface of the nut shelluntil that shell is finally cracked at the time of contact between thesurface elements 20 and 21) it is seen that a substantial change in thedirection of movement of the abutment 28 will occur during the actualcompressing action against the nuts shell. That is, under such assumedconditions, the direction of movement of the abutment 28 will changeduring the actual compressing operation due to the angle of rockexecuted by the upper jaw member (with respect to the lower jaw member)during the actual shell compressing action.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified arrangement in which the stem 29extends at an angle with respect to the plane passing through the hingedconnection 14* and the point of engagement of the surface elements 2t)and 21. This angle is such that when the jaws are fully closed togetherthe stem slants down and towards the hinged connection at an angle ofthe order of a few degrees, generally about five degrees. With thisarrangement, and

with the threaded stem adjusted for production of the cast aluminum orother light metal; and suitable ornamentation of the outer surfaces ofthe bowl portions may be provided as desired.

I claim:

A nut-cracker comprising in combination upper and lower jaw members, ahinged connection between said members, a hand grip element extendingoutwardly from each jaw member at a location substantially diametricallyopposite to said hinged connection, a concave nut receiving pocket inthe lower jaw member adjacent to said hinged connection, means to limitrock of the jaw members towards each other in the nut cracking directioncomprising rock limiting surface elements on the jaw members in positionto engage together at completion of the rock of the jaw members towardseach other about the hinged connection, and an abutment carried by theupper jaw member and facing the concave pocket of the lower jaw memberin position to engage the top surface of a 6 nut located in the concavepocket during rock of th jaw members towards each other, said abutmentbeing adjustable with respect to the upper jaw member towards or awayfrom the plane which includes the hinged connection between the jawmembers and the rock limiting surface element on the upper jaw memberand said abutment being adjustable towards and away from said plane in adirection non-normal to said plane and along a line which slants towardsthe axis of the hinged connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,720,900 Quist Oct. 18, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 179,225 Canada Sept. 11,1917 439,263 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1935

